


Bar Sonoda

by Rahenna



Series: Ace of Hearts [15]
Category: Gakuen Heaven 2 ~Double Scramble~
Genre: Age Difference, Cooking, Family Feels, M/M, Secret Relationship, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 16:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6665074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahenna/pseuds/Rahenna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been about two months since the end of the Bell One. Sonoda is frustrated with the distance that has developed between his cousin and himself, and decides to use Yuki's birthday as a pretext to reconnect. And maybe to spy on the secret couple a bit. :3</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bar Sonoda

**Author's Note:**

> Contains spoilers for Gakuen Heaven 2. If you intend to play the game yourself, reading this may ruin your fun a bit. :)
> 
> Originally posted here:  
> [Adults Always Lie](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/lies/)
> 
> If you want to know more about the Gakuen Heaven series, please visit my fansite for game translations and summaries:  
> [welcome to Heaven](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/)

**August 15, 2017**

(lunchtime)

It was shaping up to be a lonely summer.

Kiyo was on vacation in Russia, visiting his grandfather for nearly a month. With Kiyo gone, Hayato had decided to completely throw himself into training, including a few hours for tutoring with Professor Ito each week, which was a total surprise. And since there wasn't anything much to do for Durak, especially with Kiyo away for the summer, I'd devoted myself to trying out the recipes from my father's notebook. My days were filled with experimentation, combining elements of his recipes with my own to form a uniquely special hybrid. I tested them out on the other members of the cooking club, but as usual, Yuki-kun was my biggest fan.

"Uwaa, Sonoda-san, this is the best pancake I've ever eaten!"

It was late afternoon, so the cafeteria was empty except for the two of us. Yuki-kun was seated at the table nearest the kitchen doors, the one that I always used for the secret bar nights my cousin requested a few times a month. Except he hadn't asked for one since the end of the Bell One.

_Since he started going out with Yuki-kun..._

"Compare it to this one." I slid another pancake onto his plate. "There's a different blend of flours."

I watched Yuki-kun eat, idly noting his observations in my own notebook as he gushed about the differences between the two and his favorite points of each. Despite his useful comments, my mind ended up wandering after a few moments, fixing on the conclusion I'd reached a few days before: vacation was going to be long and boring this year. I'd opted to stay at the school as always; there was no point in spending time with my so-called family, watching my mother try to wheedle yet another fancy bauble out of my stepfather. Just thinking about it made me feel sick.

Normally, I'd spend the break with Professor Sakaki, making him my partner in restaurant and recipe testing. Instead, I had Yuki-kun, who certainly made for an enthusiastic and eager participant as we visited various shops and food stalls. But with his untrained palate and tendency to find the good in anything, even if the overall taste and presentation was well below average, I wasn't learning as much as usual. 

And on top of that, Yuki-kun still wasn't aware of my involvement in the potential closing of the school. My stomach tied itself up in knots every time he turned to me with a brilliant smile and thanked me for cooking or taking him out to eat. If he knew how much of a dirty traitor I was, would he still react the same way?

That thought made my blood freeze. Had my cousin told him about it? As I watched Yuki-kun scarf down the rest of the pancakes, an uncomfortable heat and dampness gathered at the back of my neck and soaked into my collar. Damnit. It was impossible to read his reactions, because he was so stupidly naive and forgiving.

I didn't want him to know that I was such a horrible person. But on the other hand, I wanted him to know and accept me anyway.

More than that, I wanted to talk to the one person who understood my motivations, who wouldn't condemn me for my actions. After all, the professor had been the one who had given my vague, angry desires a direction and a purpose. Our ambitions had been thwarted by Yuki-kun and Kasahara-kun, but somehow I couldn't find it in myself to be angry with either of them. Or with my cousin, who had simply offered a mysterious smile and asked me if I'd been able to gracefully accept the outcome.

In my heart of hearts, I'd wanted to be stopped. That relief had spread to the rest of my being, and now that over a month had passed, a quiet calm had settled over me.

That didn't change the fact that I still wanted to talk to the professor about things. I'd been waiting for him to invite me out somewhere, and had braced myself for the expected lecture. But as the weeks of summer vacation passed by, it had become increasingly clear that if I wanted any real interaction with my cousin, I would have to make the first move.

"Ahhh, that was so amazing, Sonoda-san! And with the fresh strawberry-rhubarb compote, mixed with the vanilla custard, those pancakes could be a high-class dessert! All you'd have to add is a bit of chocolate, maybe with a dusting of spices--"

"Yuki-kun," I interrupted, an idea leaping to mind. It was so obvious, how had I not thought of it sooner?

He blinked at me, green eyes wide. "Huh?"

"We went to the beach house for your birthday, but I just realized that I never gave you any sort of personal gift." I rested my elbows on the cafeteria table, leaning forward. "How would you like to come to another secret bar night? I can invite Professor Sakaki too, if you like."

The way his face lit up with a huge grin was almost pathetic. "Wow, really!?! I want to!"

Ugh, just seeing his huge, idiotic smile made me blush. "Shh, keep it down!" A useless warning, considering that the cafeteria was completely deserted aside from us. "Okay, how about we do it tomorrow night? This time, at eight, since it won't start getting dark until really late, and a secret meeting is no fun while it's still bright outside."

"Yeah, that's perfect!" His cheeks pinked. "Uh, do you want me to invite Professor Sakaki, then?"

I pretended not to notice. "You don't have to do that. I'll invite him myself. Well, he _is_ my cousin, after all."

It was the perfect opportunity, not only to renew the weakening relationship with my cousin, but to observe him and Yuki-kun together. Kiyo found their relationship amusing, and Hayato simply followed Kiyo's lead in everything, but I... Well, to be honest, I was surprised, and a little hurt. Despite our closeness, the professor had never corrected my assumptions about his sexuality, letting me believe that he was simply between girlfriends or hadn't found the right woman yet. Sure, we teased each other about guys on occasion, but that was just another manifestation of our closeness and comfort with each other.

"That makes sense!" Yuki-kun was grinning, doubly thrilled by the prospect of special snacks and a secret meeting with his boyfriend. It wouldn't matter to him that I was present, I knew. He'd be excited just to have an excuse to do a date-like thing with the professor during the week.

"Okay, then leave it to me. I'll have everything ready for tomorrow."

"Oh, but..." Yuki-kun's smile faded a bit. "It's expensive, isn't it?"

I laughed. "Don't worry about it. It's your birthday. And," I smirked as I gathered up his empty plates, "I'm sure the professor won't mind covering your part of the cost."

~~~

(after dinner)

I couldn't find my cousin in any of the logical places: he wasn't in his personal room at the staff dorm, or at his desk in the shared staff room. Why the hell wasn't he answering his phone? He did have a bad habit of ignoring it if he got caught up in work, but was he really enough of a workaholic to still be at it so late? After a moment, I realized that he might have left the island for dinner, but when I walked over to the parking lot, his car was still there.

"Damnit," I huffed, wiping sweat from my brow. Even with the short-sleeved school uniform, it was way too hot and humid to be outside before sunset. As I glared up at the offending sun, I spotted a figure on the school roof. Though it was too far away to be sure - it would have been nice to have Kiyo's super vision at that moment! - I thought I caught a glimmer of movement, the flutter of a familiar white coat. Seriously, he was still wearing that thing in the middle of the summer?

As expected, I was just in time to catch the professor as he headed inside from his smoke break on the roof, nearly running into him in my haste to reach the top of the stairs.

"Watch where you're going," he grumbled before realizing it was me. "Sonoda? Why are you going up to the roof? Or were you looking for me?"

His expectant look made my heart skip a beat; with the hassle of seeking him out, I hadn't bothered to rehearse what I'd say to my cousin once I found him. "Er..." I mumbled, cheeks coloring.

If he noticed my hesitation, he didn't say anything about it, simply waving his hand in the general direction of the staff room. "I don't feel like talking in an echo-y stairwell. Why don't you come to the staff room? No one else is there, so it should be private."

Private, ugh. My heart lurched again. "T, that's a good idea," I muttered, turning around to lead the way without bothering to wait for him. His steady footfalls kept pace behind me, but I couldn't bring myself to slow enough to allow him to catch up.

_Think, Eiji, think! This isn't complicated. All you want to do is invite him to come eat tomorrow evening. He'll definitely say yes since Yuki-kun is going to be there._

I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so hesitant to speak with my cousin. He hadn't betrayed me, not really, he had just... failed to deliver on his end of our bargain. Yuki-kun had proven unbeatable in the ridiculous Bell One contest, and there was nothing that could be done about it. Hell, the professor had been pushed out of his position on the board as a result of his failure. In a way, I was probably lucky that I wasn't being held responsible for my role in the failed attempt to shut down the school. I rarely spoke directly with the professor's brother, but my few encounters with the man had cemented my decision to stay out of his way. His bratty, self-centered way of thinking reminded me a bit too much of my mother.

I glanced back at the professor as we reached the staff room. Could it be that he was taking on full responsibilty for our defeat in order to shield me from his brother's wrath? I turned away, biting my lip. The only way to know was to ask.

My hand slid off the door handle as I tried to pull it open. "It's locked..."

"Yeah, I'm the only one using the room today." The professor came up beside me, and I caught a whiff of cigarette smoke as he waved his badge over the card reader. He pulled the door open, motioning for me to enter first.

"Ha, I'm surprised you're not just smoking in here," I said as I made my way to his desk and sat down in his neighbor's seat.

"Trust me, I've been tempted," he sighed as he hung up his coat. "Unfortunately, I don't feel like dealing with another official reprimand, or listening to the other teachers complain about it."

"Well, it _does_ stink," I pointed out. "And it's going to kill you eventually."

The professor sighed again. "We all die sooner or later."

We fell into an awkward silence for several moments, until my cousin leaned back in his chair to stretch out his legs, crossing them at his ankles as he stretched his arms overhead. "Well, Sonoda? Is there something you need from me? You've been avoiding me recently."

I stared at him as he settled back into a relaxed pose, hands folded loosely in his lap. _I'm avoiding you? It's the other way around, you idiot!_

I tried to hold back my outburst, but as usual, my emotions conquered my sense of decorum, and I leaned forward to snap, "Don't you accuse me of avoiding you! You're the one who's been busy all the time since the Bell One! You're not around on weekends anymore, and you're holed up in your room every evening doing god knows what! It's summer and you're still a total workaholic! Don't tell me you honestly don't have time to go out to eat at least once a week!"

Oh, shit. I'd let my temper get the best of me again. I tried not to look sorry or guilty as the professor eyed me, his expression unreadable as he turned my words over in his mind. After a few tense seconds, his gaze dropped, and if I'd been forced to describe his expression, I would have said he looked vaguely guilty, or maybe embarrassed.

"Sorry, Sonoda. I've been distracted recently."

_Yeah, I'm sure Yuki-kun is an excellent 'distraction.'_

I somehow resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I pointed out, "I'm not sure what you have to be distracted about. It's summer vacation, there's no need for you to be working this late every single day. Did you even eat?" Ugh, too mild, but I couldn't help backing down after my outburst. The last thing I wanted to do was completely shove him away, despite the fact that I was still annoyed with him for failing to deliver on his promises.

"I wasn't hungry," he confessed after a few moments.

"Geez, you're as bad as Kiyo, you'd starve to death without me." Actually, it made the perfect excuse for bringing up the actual point of my visit. "Speaking of which, I want to have another bar night at the cafeteria, my skills are getting rusty just cooking for Yuki-kun all the time. He'll eat anything and say it's delicious. I need feedback from someone with a good sense of taste."

The professor's subdued expression disappeared, replaced by a snide half-smile. "Heh, so you got tired of cooking for free, is it?"

"Do you have to be smug about everything? I just told you that's not the reason! If I give you a compliment, accept it graciously!" God, he was almost as good at pushing my buttons as Kiyo. Family could be annoying as hell sometimes.

"Sorry, it's just too easy to poke at you. I guess that will never change."

"Whatever," I muttered, irritation disappearing as I remembered that I had the upper hand. "Oh, since it was his birthday recently, I invited Yuki-kun too."

My cousin was generally pretty good at hiding his emotions, especially shock or surprise, but I was familiar with his reactions. The way his eyes widened for just a second, lips parting slightly, told me that my offhand comment had achieved the desired effect. His expression tightened up again after a few seconds, and he nodded. "I enjoyed that time with Asahina. Even if he did eat everything."

"Speaking of which, I'm expecting you to cover his portion of the bill. My gift is just the cooking."

"Yeah, that's fine."

I stared at him like he'd grown another head. Even if he expected to cover the costs of something, he would always put up at least some token resistance. "What, no complaints? You know how much that boy eats."

"I know. But since you're doing the cooking as a birthday treat, it's only fair that I cover the expense. Of course, I expect you'll be charging actual cost for his portion, since you just said the labor is free?"

I resisted the urge to grind my teeth. "You really _are_ annoying, you know that?"

"Maybe I learned from you."

"You suck," I grumbled, standing up so I could enjoy towering over him as I announced, "Fine, Yuki-kun's food will be at cost, but anything _you_ request is going to cost twice as much!"

The professor just laughed. "How is that any different from usual?"

His chuckle followed me from the room as I stalked out. What a pain.

~~~

**August 16, 2017**

(evening)

I arrived at the cafeteria an hour before the scheduled start time and began running through my mental list of preparations. Of course, I'd already planned the menu, a somewhat unusual combination of fancy snacks that would pair well with the two types of sake I had on hand for Professor Sakaki, and simpler appetizers that appealed to Yuki's gourmand senses. And if they ended up sharing, that was fine too, because I'd made sure to select dishes that would all taste good together, united by common textures and seasonal ingredients.

Experimenting with recipes for my own experience and benefit was rewarding enough, but it knowing that I would be serving to someone with a good palate kicked my desire to impress into overdrive. Yuki-kun would eat anything and declare it delicious, but my cousin never hesitated to give a bluntly honest opinion about anything I set in front of him. Several months had passed since the last time I cooked for him, and if I was honest with myself, the idea made me somewhat nervous. My skills had surely improved in that time, but if he was hanging out with Yuki-kun every weekend, maybe his senses had been dulled. Would he appreciate my talent?

I put those worries from my mind and gathered up my basic ingredients. I needed to be completely focused on prep work, or I wouldn't be able to accomplish my true objective for the evening: observing how my cousin and Yuki-kun got along together. It was still hard to believe that the two of them were dating, not just because the professor didn't seem the type to do something as risky as getting involved with a student, but they had nothing in common. My cousin was a serious workaholic, smarter than anyone else I knew, and aloof, while Yuki-kun was cheery and outgoing, naive to a fault, and too trusting. And frankly, an idiot.

_What on earth do they see in each other? I swear, if the professor's just banging him, I'm gonna be really disappointed in both of them._

That wasn't completely honest, I thought as I diced up an onion. I'd be able to accept the idea that Yuki-kun had gotten caught up in the fantasy of dating the hot teacher. But I didn't want to find out that my cousin was so shallow.

"Ugh, Eiji, cut it out," I muttered. "If you let yourself get distracted by stupid thoughts, you're gonna end up cutting your fingers off."

I threw myself into preparation, chopping and slicing all sorts of vegetables and meats, steaming rice, shredding cheeses, and even making some quick pastry to use for little quiches and maybe a few miniature tarts. I was so focused on getting the first course salad ready that I was startled by a loud call from outside the kitchen.

"Sonoda-san, are you in here? Well, the light is on, so..."

I turned around just in time to see Yuki-kun peeking into the kitchen, eyes shining with the excitement of a kid in a candy store. He was dressed in a cute casual outfit, a red jacket over a lightweight striped t-shirt. "Oh, Yuki-kun, you're a bit early. Sorry, I got so caught up in preparing that I didn't turn the cafeteria light on." A quick walk to the control panel and the flip of a switch, and the overhead lights flickered on, illuminating just the area at the very back.

"Oooh, what are you preparing?" He stepped tentatively into the kitchen. "Can I see?"

"No, you can't. This is your birthday treat, remember? Don't spoil it." I pointed toward the door. "Now, go sit down, and I'll bring you something to drink."

"I wanna try some sake!"

"No way. I'm not even supposed to be serving it here, I'm not taking any more risks." His earnest pout stabbed at my heart, and I sighed. "You can have a fancy non-alcoholic cocktail, how's that?"

"Really? Woohoo! I want something with melon!"

"If you don't go sit down right now, you're not getting anything but water."

"Okaaaay!" He was practically skipping as he fled the kitchen. I couldn't help grinning in response as I turned back to my work surface, pushing aside a cutting board to make room for a blender. It didn't take long to whip up a watermelon and cantaloupe cocktail, with a splash of lime added to the ginger soda to give it a more adult flavor. By the time I poured it into an ice filled glass and carried it out to Yuki-kun, my cousin was already there, seated directly beside him. They both looked up as I approached, Yuki-kun with a slightly guilty expression that quickly turned to one of delight as he noticed the deep pink drink. "Uwaa, Sonoda-san, that looks delicious!"

The professor raised one eyebrow. "I assume that's not alcoholic."

"Of course not!" I set the drink down in front of Yuki-kun, who immediately leaned over to sip at the straw. "I'm not corrupt like you, I wouldn't serve alcohol to a kid."

"You're only a year older than Asahina," my cousin pointed out.

"Mmm, it's so good!" Yuki-kun interrupted before I could fire back. "And that subtle taste in the background, is that lime? It goes really well with the melon and ginger soda!"

It really was amazing that he could identify all the different flavors, same as me. If Yuki-kun knew how to cook, he could probably recreate dishes with a reasonable level of accuracy. "Lime and ginger are a classic combination, of course they taste good together. So you just enjoy that while I get the first course ready." I shot the professor a look. "And before you open your big mouth, yes, I'll bring you a drink first."

Professor Sakaki held up his hands in a gesture of _I didn't say anything,_ but his smile was anything but innocent. I shook my head and went back to the kitchen, leaving one of the doors open so I could entice them with the smell of the food, and also to make it easier to listen in on their conversation. I checked in on the quiches, deciding that they needed one more minute before coming out of the oven, just long enough for me to pour some sake.

"That looks pretty good, Asahina, can I have a taste?"

"Umm..." The hesitation in Yuki-kun's voice made me smile; it seemed that even the professor wasn't safe from his possessive feelings toward food. But his tone was bright as he added, "Sure! It's really delicious, I think you'll love it!"

I peeked over my shoulder just in time to see the professor take a sip from the edge of the glass. I guess he wasn't about to share Yuki-kun's straw, at least not while I was around. "Yeah, that's pretty good," he agreed, "but I still prefer sake."

"Good, because that's what you're getting," I teased, stepping out of the kitchen to set a small tray in front of him. I tapped the first container. "This one is the same special Suzubishi Brewery blend from last time, and this one," I poked its companion, "is a new junmai from Masuichi-Ichimura Sake Brewery in Nagano. Well, not new, but I think it's new to you."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I haven't tried this one yet. We'll see. Thanks, Sonoda."

"Sonoda-san," Yuki-kun was practically wiggling in his seat, "is the first course going to be ready soon? I can smell something really amazing and I can't wait to try it!"

"Oh, crap!" I dashed back into the kitchen to rescue the tray of mini quiche from the oven, breathing a sigh of relief that they hadn't gotten overcooked. I popped them out of the tin and set them on a wire rack to cool, then brought out the real first course, a refreshing and light noodle dish with lightly steamed vegetables, served slightly chilled. Of course, I portioned it out onto two plates instead of giving them one to share, though it would have been funny to watch Yuki-kun inhale it all without giving my cousin a chance to try it.

"Ooh, noodles! Oh, they're cold! That's perfect for summer!" Yuki-kun didn't hold back his praise, and I nodded politely, my eyes on my cousin as he tasted the dish. He was silent for a few seconds, even taking another bite. I tried not to let my nervousness show when he finally opened his mouth to offer an opinion.

"Not bad. I'd like a little more of the onion flavor, but I can see how that would quickly become overpowering." He nodded, as if confirming it with himself. "Yeah, this is good."

"Of course it is, it's a perfect representation of the season. Or rather, everyone's wishes for the season, to stay cool and comfortable." My words were bold, but the relief I felt at his praise was almost ridiculous. When had I become so needy? My cheeks prickled as I turned away with a quick, "Well, I need to check on a few things. Enjoy your noodles."

"Is there more of this?" Yuki-kun mumbled around a mouthful.

"Nope," I called back over my shoulder. "Besides, you should save room for all the other delicious treats I have in store for you. Don't fill up on the first course!"

"Riiiight!"

That time, I let the kitchen door swing shut behind me, shoulders slumping in relief as I let out a long sigh. The professor liked it! Though I'd wondered if his senses had been dulled by hanging out with Yuki-kun, to tell the truth, I was getting worried about my own sense of taste. There really wasn't anyone else at the school with a palate as good as my cousin's, though a couple of the cooking club members came close. And there was no way I could judge my own creations objectively.

But there was no time to sit back and gloat over my small victory. The rest of the birthday meal wasn't going to make itself. I busied myself with all sorts of little tasks, grilling meat and shrimp, whipping up three different sauces, steaming vegetables, and mincing herbs. My body worked on autopilot as I assembled the next dish, grilled prawns with a lime dipping sauce and a side of lightly dressed cabbage, and I emerged from the kitchen less than five minutes later with two small plates. The new dish was received gratefully by both the professor and Yuki-kun, but I ducked back into the kitchen after a few moments to continue with the preparations.

Things continued like that for another ten minutes until I finally had the chance to sit down with them and chat. Several more dishes were waiting in a warm oven, and I'd prepared dessert ahead of time, two types of fruit mousse topped with fresh berries and candied citrus peel, and extra-moist mini carrot cakes with a generous swirl of cream cheese and lime icing.

"So tonight's theme is lime, is it?" Professor Sakaki asked, squeezing a wedge over an appetizer sized portion of steak and tomato salad. "That's a fresh, summery flavor."

"I know, right?" I glanced at Yuki-kun, who was totally absorbed in making sure he ate every last morsel. "It's perfect for celebrating an August birthday. And it takes your mind off the blasted heat and humidity of these hellish months."

"Heh, that's true." The professor sipped at his sake. "Good choice on the sake as well, Sonoda. I don't think I've tried this particular variety before. It's quite good."

Yuki-kun paused in his plate-cleaning mission to pout at him. "I wish I could try it."

"Hmph, you still have about four more years to wait until you're an adult, Asahina." My cousin aimed a fond smile at him. "If you're so set on trying it, why not ask your parents for a taste?"

That just made him pout more. "It's not fun if my parents let me do it."

"Oh, Yuki-kun, I had no idea you liked doing sneaky things behind your parents' backs." I grinned at him, trying to resist the temptation to glance over at the professor. "You seem like such a good boy, a real honor student type. I'm shocked."

"T, that's not it!" His pale cheeks darkened in an instant. "I just... I'd like to try some adult things!"

 _I guess getting started on some 'adult things' has given you an appetite for others, huh?_ It was impossible not to look over at my cousin, who was busy taking a drink to hide his expression. When he set the cup down, he shook his head and said, "Don't be in such a rush, Asahina. Becoming an adult introduces a whole new set of problems."

"Spoken like a true old man, Professor!" I laughed, pushing away from the table. "Hold on, I'll go get the next course." I retrieved it from the warm oven, broiled skewers of ground chicken packed with scallion and shiso leaves, coated with my special lime-spiked yakitori sauce. There was also a spicy yogurt sauce for dipping.

Yuki-kun's eyes lit up when I set the plate on the table. "Wow, those smell amazing!"

"They taste amazing, too." I set a small square plate in front of each of us. "I hope you don't mind if I join you this time. It gets tough, watching you two eat."

"Of course!" Yuki-kun beamed at me. "I can't believe you can resist your own cooking at all! If I could cook like you, Sonoda-san, I'd be as wide as I am tall!"

"Now that's a horrifying thought," Professor Sakaki murmured, taking a skewer from the serving dish. "Considering how small you are now despite how much you eat, I can't even imagine the quantity of food it would take for you to get so big."

"Ugh... do I really eat that much?"

"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "Everyone knows it, Asahina."

A casual observer wouldn't notice anything especially intimate about their conversation; after all, Yuki-kun was the student council president and got along well with everyone. And the students were starting to notice that my cousin had become less thorny of late, though with classes over for the summer, only the 'lucky' few taking make-up lessons got to interact with him on a regular basis. There would probably be some full-blown rumors starting up once normal classes were back in session. I only hoped that no one would make the connection.

Then again, with the professor's teasing, it seemed unlikely that anyone would realize that there was affection behind his harsh words. But I knew him well enough to understand that the hint of warmth in his smile was unusual, or that the slight narrowing of his eyes meant that he cared for the person he was speaking with. Those hints of tenderness had been part of our relationship since almost the very beginning, and I'd hardly seen them directed at anyone else before. 

A twinge of jealousy stung my heart, but I squashed it. The professor didn't have many friends, and had been especially hurt by the previous director's death. If he was finally happy, I wasn't going to get stupidly worked up over it.

_I just really hope this isn't some weird midlife crisis or a pathetic attempt to deal with loneliness..._

With the way Yuki-kun grinned even as he blushed and protested, it didn't seem like he was unhappy with the relationship. Of course, he was naive enough to believe that everything was fine, even if someone was taking advantage of him. He was also innocent enough to get tangled up in a relationship without truly understanding the responsibilities. I pressed my lips together in a line of worry. Even though Kiyo joked about how they were dating, I knew that if he suspected that Yuki-kun was being harmed in some way by the professor, he would take action.

I munched on my chicken, letting Yuki-kun dominate the conversation as I brooded. Most of his comments were directed at the professor, with compliments about the meal peppered throughout.

It was fair that Yuki-kun's friends would worry about him first; he was just a kid. But who else but me would spare a thought for Professor Sakaki's happiness? Was getting mixed up with a student a symptom of a deeper unhappiness? He'd been hurt by his family, just like I'd been hurt by my mother and father's selfishness. Was he just clinging to any scraps of affection that came his way, mistaking kindness for love?

I'd been worrying over it for a while. It wasn't the kind of thing I could discuss with Hayato; he was even simpler than Yuki-kun. And Kiyo didn't care about anything except the level of amusement he could extract from any given situation. No one else knew, so I was on my own.

The soft smile on my cousin's lips, so unlike any expression I'd seen him wear, eased my heart a little. He seemed genuinely happy. Whether it was a temporary happiness born of desperation, well, there was no way to know that, but for now, they both seemed cheerful enough.

"All done? Then I'll bring out the last course, but I have to stay in the kitchen for a bit after that to get the desserts ready." I stood, gathering up the empty plates.

"Desserts?! You mean more than one?!" Yuki-kun looked like he was about to explode from happiness. Was it really okay for my cousin to be dating someone so childish? Yuki-kun was strong and his ability to connect with anyone was almost scary. I knew that, but sometimes those qualities were really overshadowed by his childish enthusiasm.

My cousin let out a quiet snort; a poorly-disguised laugh, but didn't say anything. His soft smile and the frankly sappy way he was looking at Yuki-kun said more than enough. I pretended not to notice.

"Yes, more than one. It's your birthday, after all." With that, I retreated to the kitchen before things could get even more awkward. I emerged a moment later to deliver the final course, a light snack of steamed vegetables served with three different dipping sauces, but headed straight back to the kitchen to get the mousse ready. Even with the double doors shut behind me, I could hear the murmur of conversation punctuated with the occasional laugh. The professor's tone was warm, voice low, and Yuki-kun's excited chatter had dropped to a soft whisper.

I turned back toward the door. If I got close enough, I'd be able to peer out of the gap in the doors. Each door had a small window, but if I ducked down a bit, they wouldn't notice. Probably.

_That's a really bad idea, Eiji, how are you gonna explain yourself if they catch you?_

Despite that thought, I crept toward the narrow opening, taking care to keep my footsteps light against the worn linoleum. It took a bit of shuffling about to find a good angle, one where I felt like I wasn't obviously exposed but could still see rather clearly. My heart skipped a beat as I peeked out to see Yuki-kun leaning close to the professor, one hand resting lightly on his upper arm as if it belonged there. Professor Sakaki was smiling down at him, and though his lips were moving, his voice was so low I couldn't catch any of his words. Whatever he said, Yuki-kun was thrilled to hear it, a brilliant smile lighting his face.

A moment later, my cousin brushed the back of his free hand against the side of Yuki-kun's cheek, leaning close enough that his face was momentarily shadowed. Yuki-kun tilted his face up, eyes dropping shut as the professor leaned in to press a brief kiss to his lips.

It was over in an instant, the radiant pink of Yuki-kun's cheeks and the vaguely satisfied smile on my cousin's lips the only evidence of their inappropriate contact. Yuki-kun reached up with both hands to touch his own face, laughing as he felt the heat of his skin. The professor shook his head, murmuring something that made Yuki-kun pout, and had a laugh at his expense.

I retreated to the safety of the kitchen's depths, my own face as red as my hair. Fortunately, I didn't need my brain's cooperation to assemble the artfully arranged servings of mousse, hands moving as if on their own as I scooped the components into glass serving dishes. Instead, my mind was free to wander, replaying the kiss over and over in my mind.

They'd looked so natural, almost innocent, aside from Professor Sakaki's somewhat possessive smile at the very end. And his teasing. Okay, fine! Yuki-kun had looked sweet and innocent, and my cousin had looked, well... like someone who was having fun, but not in a malicious way. Not like the way Kiyo would tease someone. There had been a genuine warmth in their contact, a familiarity and a fondness that seemed a bit advanced for a couple that had nothing in common, and that had only been together for about a month.

_Do they really get along that well? Even though they're so different..._

It wasn't really any different from the way that Yuki-kun had brought the members of Durak together, though. Kiyo and Hayato and I were all into different things, and our personalities weren't all that compatible, but somehow our forced friendships had begun to turn more genuine because of his influence. Hell, Kiyo and I were starting to get along a little _too_ well.

I shoved that thought from my mind, willing my face to stop getting hot.

_Yuki-kun brings out the best in people, I guess. We've all seen it._

It only made sense that he would dig into my cousin's closed-off personality to unearth his hidden kindness and affection. And yeah, it stung to know that Yuki-kun had succeeded where I had failed, but maybe I could take credit for getting started. I was the one who had first stuck my shovel into that cold ground, discovering a glimmer of the professor's underlying warm, protective nature.

"Ugh, this is stupid, Eiji. Your idiot cousin is not some sort of buried treasure," I sighed, rubbing the back of my hand against my forehead. I hurried to complete the presentation of the mousse, knowing that the vegetable plate wouldn't last long with Yuki-kun around.

As I pressed a wafer cookie into each dish, I smiled despite myself.

_They're happy. The professor is happy. I haven't seen him smile like that since, well, ever._

Even if it was hard to accept that Yuki-kun had stolen the full attention of the only family member who mattered to me, I couldn't be upset with either of them. My cousin deserved happiness. All I could do was pray that it would be a long-lasting joy, and one that would go undiscovered until it was safe for their relationship to be revealed.

As I sprinkled the special edible silver powder over the fluffy mousse and other toppings, I imagined that it was a gentle rain of blessings.

_This is all I can do. I'm a cook. I don't have anything else to offer. Eat it and be happy..._

~ end ~


End file.
